


Aren't You Tired of Hiding?

by MasukisJacket



Category: The Worst Witch (TV 2017)
Genre: Confessions, Enemies to Lovers, Ethel has a serious case of comphet, F/F, First Kiss, Fluff, Internalized Homophobia, Late Night Conversations, Light Angst, Mildred doesn't understand the concept of heterosexuality, Mildred is PINING, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-08
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:40:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23480338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MasukisJacket/pseuds/MasukisJacket
Summary: Ethel liked boys, she liked boys, she liked boys, she liked boys, she liked boys...So then why did kissing Mildred feel so right?
Relationships: Ethel Hallow/Mildred Hubble
Comments: 6
Kudos: 89





	Aren't You Tired of Hiding?

**Author's Note:**

> I'm currently rewatching this show and WHOOO BOY ETHEL HAS ISSUES.. and comphet is totally one of them dont @ me  
> Btw this takes place directly after the spelling bee episode  
> Anyways y'all better stop sleeping on this ship

Ethel couldn't sleep. She didn't know why. Winning the Spelling Bee should've put her at ease, even if Mildred Hubble _had_ broken the trophy. She wanted so badly to be mad, but she just couldn't.

Ethel didn't forgive Mildred entirely, but she was hard to stay mad at for long periods of time. It was frustrating, as Ethel knew she should be mad, but she wasn't.

She dejectedly rose from her bed, kissing her cat on the head, and wandering into the corridor. It was dark, with only the moonlight illuminating the outline of the walls around her. She didn't know _where_ exactly she was going, but she soon found herself sitting on one of the couches under the stairs where all the first years socialized.

It wasn't long before she felt the couch bounce slightly underneath her, and heard small creaking noises break the comforting silence. Ethel sighed, turning her head to look at the girl beside her. It was Mildred, hair down instead of her usual braids, clad in her pajamas.

"What are you doing here, Mildred Hubble?" Ethel mustered up all the spite she could to project into her voice. But that dorky smile was hard to be spiteful towards. Possible, but difficult.

"I couldn't sleep, so I decided to talk a walk round the castle. I'm guessing you did the same?" Mildred's voice was almost teasing, and it infuriated Ethel.

"I'm here to do some thinking, but I understand if that's too much to wrap your head around." Ethel scooted away from Mildred, wondering why she was so _close_.

"Well, I've been thinking too."

"Wow, that's a first." Ethel scoffed and looked away, turning her gaze to the portrait Mildred had drawn of all the first years. _She's talented at art, I can't deny that._

"Oh, be quiet, Ethel!" Mildred crossed her arms, but Ethel could've sworn she'd heard laughter in there somewhere. "I'm... Sorry I broke the trophy."

"You had better be. I'd been waiting to win that trophy for years, and you had to go and mess it up. You're lucky if HB doesn't decide to throw you out tomorrow." Ethel turned back around, and the hurt expression on Mildred's face almost made her anger falter. It was so genuine, so regretful. _Serves her right to be sad about it._ But, deep down, Ethel felt a strange desire to comfort her.

"I'm lucky HB hasn't thrown me out already." Mildred chuckled, then turned to face Ethel directly. "Today... Why were you so riled up about Zac?"

"Because, I..." Ethel had to pause. She'd been telling herself he was cute and charming, but did she really feel that way? "Isn't it obvious already? How can you possibly be that dense?"

"He's just a boy. There's nothing special about him. Yeah, he's nice, but you haven't known him long enough to _actually_ like him, surely. I don't understand why, all of a sudden, when a boy comes round, everyone's got a crush on him! It makes no sense." Mildres threw her hands up in frustration, and Ethel shushed her.

"You're going to wake the whole school if you keep making so much noise." Ethel held a finger to her lips, and reflected on what Mildred had said. "I mean, this _is_ a school for witches. We don't really have anyone to crush on."

"Yeah we do!" Mildred said a little too loudly, earning her another shush from Ethel. "Sorry, but, there are lots of girls in this school. I'm sure there's _somebody_ they could possibly be interested in."

"Mildred," Ethel started, staring at her in pure bewilderment. "I'm not sure if you got the memo, but witches don't get crushes on other witches. It's preposterous."

"Really? That's weird." Mildred tried to hide it, but Ethel could sense her disappointment. "Well, I don't really care all that much about witching traditions!" She declared while standing up, one foot on the couch.

"What on Earth are you doing?!" Ethel whisper-yelled. "You're being too loud!"

"Ethel Hallow," She pointed down at Ethel, her finger almost touching her nose. "I would like to ask you something." Ethel couldn't see Mildred that well, but she could tell her face was red. She thought it was pretty cute a moment before she pushed that thought down. "Um... Would you be my girlfriend?"

"What?!" Ethel jumped up, her own face turning beet red as well. "N-no! I like boys!"

"Oh... Well. Can I at least kiss you? It doesn't have to mean anything, right?"

"Wh-?!" Ethel cut herself off, sighing deeply. Considering it, definitely not. She definitely liked boys and did not want to even be friends with Mildred Hubble, let alone _date_ her! But she said something different. "I guess???" In the shock, Ethel had said something she hadn't meant to and- oh god Mildred was really close and why was her heart racing and-

It happened. Ethel was totally in shock. She had _not_ expected her first kiss to be with a girl, with Mildred Hubble of all people! Ethel liked boys, she liked boys, she liked boys, she liked boys, she liked boys...

So then why did kissing Mildred feel so right?

Butterflies in her stomach, she was fighting the urge to kiss back. Her face burned, and a warm fuzzy feeling spread throughout her chest. After what was both the shortest and longest moment of Ethel's life, it was over.

"See? Doesn't have to mean anything." Mildred said confidently.

"What if... It did?" Ethel couldn't make eye contact.

"Do... Do you want it to?"

"Urgh, yes, you idiot! I'm going to bed." Ethel stared storming up the stairs, but stopped a few steps up. "By the way, Mildred?"

"Yeah?"

Ethel felt a small smile creep up onto her face. "You look better without the braids."


End file.
